Lose your Mind
by Riiver
Summary: *Post CoG* Isabelle notices changes in Alec. He seems more distant, more lonely. When the bodies of Shadowhunters keep piling up, and Alec's runes start to fade - who's fault is this? Lightwoods obviously didn't explore their family roots more carefully, and when you have voices in your head... you can lose your mind.
1. Prologue

So I got this idea in my head, and it formed, and formed, and now I decided to share it with you.

Basically: Post City of Glass. Alec and Magnus got back from their trip, but there **were no killings!** Alec and Isabelle went on a trip to Los Angeles, as reinforcements to help on the murders, that took many mundane lives. They were gone for a few weeks. Jace stayed with Clary in New York. It starts on Izzy's and Alec's way back.

* * *

Isabelle watched the scenery go by. Shadowhunters don't usually use cars, but Magnus taught Alec how to drive, so he insisted.

Course, Alec doesn't have a license, but it didn't really matter to them.

"I like this song." Isabelle said. "Turn it up."

"Nope." Alec said, smiling slightly. "We listened to it for like an hour, Iz. My head will blow to pieces, if I hear you sing it again."

Isabelle scowled.

"I sing okay."

"Ohhh, yeah." he said sarcastically. "What was I thinking."

She made a face, but didn't say anything else on that.

"So... your first stop - Magnus?" she wiggled her eyebrows.

"No.." Alec sighed. "He was summoned by a High Warlock of San Francisco. Something important, so he will be away for the next few days. He'll be back on Wednesday."

"Oh. Bummer." she looked out the window again.

"Gas station." Alec noted as he made a turn. "Need to fill our tank."

Isabelle just nodded. She was sore from the travel, and her eyes felt heavy.

"Hey, Al-" she turned, but he wasn't in his seat. She didn't even hear him leave. Then she noticed something. "Alec, the tank is full.."

Isabelle clutched her ears. The cold blooded scream - no like a sonic wave, hit her hearing, clouding her mind. She couldn't move for a moment, then she found strength in her and scrambled out of the car. She entered the small gas station's shop and stopped dead in her tracks.

The floor was a big, bloody mess. Body parts... Isabelle gagged.

Alec stood in the middle, but he didn't look like he heard the sonic wave. He stared at the body (or what's left of it) with a dazed expression.

"Alec?" Isabelle approached her brother, warily.

"It's a Shadowhunter." Alec said, still dazed.

"How can you tell?" she stood by his side now. He looked strange... just like the time they found the body of that mundane girl.

Alec didn't answer. For a second he looked confused, then he blinked rapidly.

"We need to call the Institute." he said.

"Alec... you didn't answer my question." Isabelle said, taking out her phone.

"The.. uh, the hand." he said absentmindedly.

Isabelle noticed what he was talking about. The Voyance rune, was etched to a lone hand, and the sight made her stomach churl.

She called the Institute, eying her brother warily, yet she didn't bring up the Scream.

* * *

"Aw, I wish I would've seen that." Jace sighed.

"It was disgusting, Jace, how can you even think that?" Isabelle exclaimed.

They sat in Taki's where they had their little 'Welcome Back' party. Simon's face broke into a grin when he saw Isabelle, and it stayed that way even now.

"Sadly, we don't have murders like that in the middle of the City." he sighed.

"Sadly?!" Clary gaped at him.

"There's nothing to solve! Whilst then, the local Shadowhunters are having a mystery. They say it wasn't a demon."

"And a Shadowhunter is dead, Jace. Whatever it was, I hope it doesn't come here. The sight was one of the most horrible ones I've seen, and I've seen enough." Isabelle sipped her coffee.

"Alec?" Jace looked at his_ parabatai_. "You've been awfully quiet."

"Just tired." he answered, resting his head on his hands.

"I told you, you should've just hired a warlock." Jace told him.

"It's not the traveling. I just feel drained." Alec voice came out muffled.

"Eat. You'll feel better." Clary said, and as if on cue, the food came.

"So how's your band, Simon?" Isabelle asked, laughing.

Simon went on and on about all the changes, and that they will perform tomorrow, but Alec tuned everything out. For the past week, he didn't feel like himself. He ate slowly, and neither of them, including Alec, noticed his Equilibrium rune, which was permanent, fade, without leaving a mark.

* * *

Yay? Nay? R&R!


	2. Come and find me

Thanks for the reviews!

_-AkireAlev_

_-1seddiefan_

* * *

_The night was cold and unforgiving. He walked through the alleyway, his footsteps echoing in the silence. He was looking for something, something dangerous, as he gripped the Seraph Blades in his hands. They produced a light, which was the only thing besides an enchanted Shadowhunter vision that helped him see. He shouldn't have forgotten his Witchlight. He took a sharp turn, and he was met with a sound behind him. He turned around, ready to defend himself. Whatever it was, it was fast and took it's time. _

_He turned around, only to see a humanoid figure several feet away from him. The dark figure was hooded, wore gloves and had almost every inch of his body covered. Except then he saw an outline of a rune on the figure's neck, and the Shadowhunter staggered. _

_"You were sent by Lissa?" he asked, lowering the blades. "I told her I was going hunting. She said she will go to the Institute. Who are you?"_

_The figure didn't answer. He stepped forward, towards the unsuspecting Shadowhunter. _

_The last thing the Shadowhunter saw before he died was the sign _St. Williams road, 166.

Alec woke up, gasping for air. His body felt like it was stabbed a million times.

He grasped a glass of water on his bed stand that he learned to always have before he went to sleep.

Alec noticed just how drenched in sweat he was. Dreaming about dying did that to you.

He took a long shower, but his body was still tense. Alec knew he won't be able to go to sleep right now.

He dressed in gear, just in case, and left his room.

When he went down the hall and passed the kitchen, he was stopped by a voice.

"What are you doing still up?"

Alec looked at his sister. Even without the whole baggage of make up and her hair a total mess, she still looked beautiful.

"Couldn't sleep. Going on a walk." he answered simply.

"It's the middle of the night." she frowned.

"So? We're Shadowhunters, pretty much every time we go out it's the middle of the night." he crossed his arms.

"I'm coming with you." she walked towards him.

"What?"

"Oh come on. It's nice to walk it out... probably."

"You're not going to comb your hair? Get in your gear?" Alec crossed his arms.

"You said it yourself. It's the middle of the night. Who cares?" she smiled.

Alec's frown turned to confused wonder.

"That's so out of character."

"Huh?"

"Since when you don't care how you look?" Alec asked her.

"Oh shut it." Isabelle growled. "Are we going or not?"

* * *

Isabelle was wrong. In New York there were still lots of people, even in the middle of the night.

Still, they walked quietly to the quieter parts of the city. Alec was aware of Isabelle's constant glancing at him.

"I'm guessing you're waiting for Wednesday." she smirked at him.

"Will you just stop?" Alec rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm waiting for my boyfriend to come back. No, it's not your business."

They passed the sign that said St. _Williams road, 166._

Suddenly Alec felt an unnatural chill creep up on him. Isabelle didn't look affected by anything.

"Something wrong?" she asked. "You look pale. Well... more than usual."

"No." Alec's voice came out hoarse. "Nothing's wrong." he turned to the left.

"This is a creepy alleyway, Alec." Isabelle told her brother. "Maybe we should just stick to the street... with a road?"

But Alec didn't seem to be listening.

She caught up with him, and she could swear his eyes were glowing white for a second. But it probably was just a reflection of a moon or something.

Alec seemed to know where he was going. Or at least his body did. His face was a mixture of confusion, curiosity and... dread.

"Who are you?"

Alec broke into a run at the sound of the voice. Isabelle yelped and followed him.

Alec was kneeling near a body. Isabelle watched with unidentified feeling when she saw the man's runes.

"A Shadowhunter killed him.." Alec muttered.

"How can you tell?" Isabelle asked him, watching him warily.

Alec ignored her question.

"Call the Institute."

* * *

Isabelle was pacing in the library. Jace and Clary stared at her.

"This is what- third, fourth time Alec finds a body at random?" she asked no one in particular.

"Isabelle, what are you talking about?" Jace said, looking quite bored.

"Alec!" she yelled suddenly, and Jace and Clary cringed at the sudden outburst. "Something's up with him!"

"Isabelle." Jace started with a calming tone. "I love you, so please don't hit me, but your argument is invalid. Alec was simply in a wrong place at the wrong time. It's a coincidence."

"For the fifth time in the row?!" she turned to him, glaring murderously.

"Now you're just raising the number. Relax, so he found a body, big deal. We find bodies all the time."

"No it's just- ugh! He knew it was there!"

"There was no way, Isabelle, you need sleep." Jace said.

"Where _is_ Alec, anyway?" Clary piped up.

"I think he went to see the widow. Lissa Wrayburn I think. The dead guy was her husband." Jace answered and yawned. "I think it's enough talking about nonsense. Let's just go."

* * *

Alec didn't like the situation. He knew his mother was watching, and there were two Silent Brothers around the body. Still, he had to talk to the woman.

Lissa was a nice enough looking woman in her mid thirties. Her face was laced with tears, but her expression was hardened.

"Mrs. Wrayburn?" Alec called her, when he got closer.

Lissa's head didn't move, but she raised her eyes to him questioningly.

"I wanted to ask you something. About your husband."

Alec held his breath for the moment. He didn't want to anger her.

Lissa waved her hand, gesturing him to continue.

"Did he had ant enemies? Among the Shadowhunters?"

Mrs. Wrayburn looked taken aback by the question.

"You don't think one of our own did this?"

_That's a very serious accusation, Mr Lightwood. _came Brother's Zachariah's 'voice'.

"It's possible." Alec replied, feeling self-conscious for being in the center of attention.

"No." Lissa said, looking up to him. "No he did not. Greg was a good man. He was a good warrior. None of our brethren had done this."

"Alexander, can I talk to you?" came his mother's voice.

Alec nodded at Lissa, who turned to her husband.

Maryse put a firm hand on his shoulder and led him out of the room.

"Mom-"

"Don't speak, just walk."

Suddenly Alec almost yelled out. He looked at the person across the hall. It wasn't _exactly_ a person, to be honest.

Maryse followed his gaze and saw nothing.

"Alec? What's wrong?"

Greg Wrayburn made his way towards Alec. He was dead, Alec just walked away from his body.

He _is_ dead.

Maryse Lightwood watched her son intently.

"Alec-"

Wrayburn's dead, cold fingers touched Alec's neck.

Something rose in Alec. He crumbled to his knees, letting out a loud, chilling scream.

Only it wasn't a scream, not exactly. An unnatural sound shook the Institute, glass was heard breaking, and Maryse Lightwood was trying to pull her son up, ignoring another rune disappearing from his skin.


End file.
